Beth's+letter

May 24, 1872 Dear Family, You might have heard about it but there was a huge explosion on the steam boat I was on. It happened because the boilers were leaking and it got so hot that it exploded. 376 people were supposed to be on one boat but there was 6 xs more so it ended up as a tootle disaster!

Don’t worry about me now I’m alright. I was so scared the explosion was so big it bushed me right of the boat. I crashed into the open water seeing people hold on to little pieces of the boat and seeing people slowly drowning to the bottom I saw solders tying their best to swim but there to week. I wanted to help but I wasn’t strong enough. There were about 3,000,000 solders and 6000,000 solders died.

After a couple of hours swimming I landed on land other people from the terrible accident were there as well but sadly they were dead they were mostly solders at the glimpse of my eye I saw one of them slowly breathing me with a broken shoulder and one hand I stumbled over to the slowly dying man.

I went to see if I could help him I saw his leg bleeding like mad. He was slowly talking to himself “I should survive” I went to get some water from the ocean and washed away the blood there was a huge chunk of his leg missing. So I looked in my pocket bag I just about had and pulled out a long bandage I wrapped it around his leg his eyes slowly opened I was so relived I slowly helped him stand up. We can help each other find any vehicle or person on this island! We both helped each other walk. But then I saw a large boat coming I was so relived and happy I stumbled to the end of the small island and waved my left hand high the boat saw us and came to us as fast as it could and two kind men helped us on the boat. Right now I am in Brenham hospital hope I see you soon miss you lots and lots.

Lots of love Elizabeth xxx